Second indictment issued against Mont Vernon woman in arson case

By NANCY BEAN FOSTERUnion Leader Correspondent

NASHUA — A second indictment has been handed down against Colleen Carr, a Mont Vernon woman who allegedly conspired to burn down a building she owns on the Milford Oval in order to collect the insurance money.

.Carr, 50, of 19 Mobile Coach Lane in Mont Vernon, was arrested on Jan. 17 by Milford police and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit arson, a Class A felony, and one count of witness tampering, a Class B felony, after a tenant in her building told police that Carr was planning to burn down her building at 139 Union Square...Rick Fells, the owner of the Tasty Tobacco Shop, which was formerly located in the ground floor of the building, said that Maureen Riley, who lived on the third floor, told him of Carr’s alleged plan to commit arson. Riley reportedly told Fells that she was offered $7,000 by Carr to “go away for a week.”..Carr’s building was assessed at $192,000 and was insured for $400,000, according to testimony at her probable cause hearing in February. The building is located next door to a gas station owned by Carr’s ex-husband and is connected to a row of riverfront buildings on the Milford Oval...Earlier this month, a Hillsborough County grand jury indicted Carr on one count of criminal solicitation to insurance fraud, a Class A felony. According to the indictment, Carr “did solicit Maureen Riley to leave her apartment for a period of time in order for Colleen Carr to commit an arson against the building for the purpose of collecting the insurance proceeds, a portion of which she offered to pay to Maureen Riley for her cooperation.”..In April, a different Hillsborough County Grand Jury indicted Carr on one count of witness tampering for allegedly trying to coerce her boyfriend, Conrad Kelleher, to lie on her behalf.

The solicitation to insurance fraud carries a prison term of 7½ to 15 years in state prison and a $4,000 fine. The witness tampering charge has a penalty of 3½ to seven years and a $4,000 fine...nfoster@newstote.com..